


You're the Poison Running Through My Veins

by Cocopops1995



Series: Hurt Me With Your Words [6]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Gen, Poison, Whump, and poor keith too, i'm so mean, poor pidge, voltronwhumpweek2017
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-20
Updated: 2017-08-20
Packaged: 2018-12-17 20:24:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11859018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cocopops1995/pseuds/Cocopops1995
Summary: Keith and Pidge are on a jungle planet when they're suddenly drenched in a fould smelling goo. Minutes later Pidge gets sick. Things go downhill from there





	You're the Poison Running Through My Veins

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Rangergirl3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rangergirl3/gifts).



> In this one we can play spot the Shrek reference hehehehe

“This sucks.” Pidge grumbled.

Keith couldn’t agree more, but he smirked at her. “I thought you liked the outdoors now.”

She frowned, “Just because I like it a bit more than I used to doesn’t mean that I don’t still have allergies.” she said, sniffing as if to emphasize her point.

Keith shrugged and lifted a hand to wipe the sweat from his brow for what must have been the hundredth time in the past half hour. “Fair enough.”

“Besides, you look about as miserable as I feel, and you’re the one who’s always liked the outdoors.” She said, reaching out to push her sweat drenched bangs out of her face.

This time Keith grimaced, “Yeah, when it’s not so hot and humid that I feel like I’m literally melting. And wearing the armour isn’t exactly helping.”

Pidge nodded, “Remind me to talk to Hunk and Coran about upgrading the armour’s temperature regulators. I mean sure the armour protects us from freezing to death in space, but it’s doing absolutely bupkis to keep us cool enough in this heat.”

“You got it. I’m just glad the air here is breathable. Imagine having to wear our helmets in this heat.”

Pidge shuddered, “Ugh. That would have sucked on a whole new level.”

“Yeah.” Keith said. “Come on, the faster we find and collect those blue flowers with red thorns, the faster we can get back to the Castle.”

Pidge hummed, “I will never take airconditioning for granted ever again.”

Keith was about to agree with her when their was a sudden popping sound above them and the next thing they new they were drenched in some kind of foul smelling goo.

Pidge screeched and Keith grabbed her arm and pulled them out from under the stream of goo that was falling from the trees.

Once they were clear, Keith stopped and started wiping the stuff from his face. Pidge did the same, grumbling all the time about how gross the goo was. 

Keith heard Shiro’s voice coming from where his helmet was secured to his hip. He grabbed the helmet and held it up close enough for him to be able to hear and speak to Shiro. Some of the goo had gotten into his helmet so there was no way he was putting it back on his head now, he was already covered in the stuff, there was no need to add to it.

“We’re here, Shiro.” he said as he tipped the helmet over to allow the goo to drip out of it.

Pidge made a face and started inspecting her own helmet for goo inside.

“We heard a scream, is everything alright?”

“No.” Pidge grumbled.

“We’re fine, Shiro.” Keith answered, “Just got drenched in some really gross goo.”

Pidge gasped and pointed behind Keith, “Blue flowers with red thorns! Look!” 

Keith turned in the direction that she was pointing and saw that they’d found a whole bush filled with the flowers they were searching for. 

“Shiro, we found the flowers.” Keith said to his still-dripping helmet, “We’ll gather what we need and then start heading back.”

“Alright. Keep us posted of your progress.”

“Will do.” Keith answered as Pidge moved toward the flowers, already pulling out the expandable bags they’d brought with. 

Keith went to join her and soon they had two bags filled with blue flowers with red thorns. A few minutes after they started, though, Pidge wobbled and nearly lost her balance. 

Keith dropped his bag and reached out to steady her. 

“Are you okay?” he asked worriedly. 

Pidge seemed to be absolutely focused on the ground, and she swallowed heavily a few times, a deep frown on her face. 

“Pidge?” Keith pressed, not liking her delay in replying at all.

Finally she looked up at him, blinking as if she had just sat up too quickly, “Sorry, just got dizzy all of a sudden. And kind of queasy. Must be the heat.”

Keith changed his grip on her arm to lead her over to a piece of tree root that jutted out from the ground right under a nice patch of shade.

“Here, sit down for a bit.” he said and then reached into the bag he’d brought with them, filled with water packs, and handed her one. “I’ll finish getting the flowers, you drink this and take it easy for a while.”

Pidge glared up at him, “I’m not a baby, Keith. I can take care of myself.”

Keith shrugged, “I never said you were. I just know enough about heatstroke to know that pushing through it has the crappiest results that you absolutely will regret later.”

Pidge looked at him with wide eyes for a moment, “You know, the fact that you seem to know that from personal experience actually doesn’t even surprise me.” she said after taking a sip of water. 

Keith shrugged, “It’s not like I knew that before.”

Pidge rolled her eyes, “Shouldn’t you take a break too? Or did desert life make you immune to the heat or something?”

Keith took a moment to assess how he felt, something he had learnt how to do while living out in the desert, and finally shrugged, “I’ll be okay for a bit longer. Besides, the faster I get all the flowers, the faster we can get back to the lions.”

“Air conditioning.” Pidge agreed with a wistful look on her face, but then she frowned, “At least drink some water.”

Keith nodded and took out a pouch for himself, not finding a reason not to humor her. Once he was done he stood and said: “Let me know if you start feeling worse, okay?”

Pidge nodded distractedly, an uncomfortable frown on her face.

Keith frowned too, “You sure you’re okay?”

Pidge nodded again, “Yeah, fine. Just need to cool down or something. Drink water. That should help. Yeah.” she took another sip from the water pouch, then glanced up at where Keith was stil standing and watching her. “Go on, I’ll be fine! Get those flowers so we can get out of her already.”

Keith nodded and went back to gathering flowers with earnest.

It couldn’t have been more than five or ten minutes later, the first bag was full and he’d started on the next one - he was glad for his armour’s gauntlets otherwise his hands would have been scratched and bleeding - when he heard a pained moan coming from Pidge’s direction. He spun around just in time to see her lean over and throw up all the water she’d been drinking, as well as the food goo they’d had for breakfast.

“Pidge!” he cried, once again dropping the bag of flowers and sprinting the short distance to where she was now on her hands and knees, still heaving.

He crouched down next to her and started rubbing her back. He didn’t know what else to do to help. He had basically no experience of being taken care of when he was sick, let alone any of taking care of someone else.

He felt his eyes go wide when he noticed blood mixed in with the water and goo she’d thrown up. That was never a good sign.

He kept rubbing her back until the spell died down. Once she was done, she all but collapsed against Keith and he had to scramble to get a good enough grip on her to hold her up. He noticed that she was shaking hard.

“Keith,” she mumbled, her eyes closed and her skin suddenly alarmingly pale, “I think I feel worse.”

“No shit.” Keith said, and reached for his helmet, he was going to have to put it on his head now so that he could keep holding her up while he spoke to Shiro. The smell from the goo in his helmet was almost overwhelming and he fought the urge to gag.

“Shiro!”

Shiro’s response was immediate and filled with concern. “Keith. What’s wrong?”

Keith explained the situation as quickly as possible, trying his best to breathe as little as possible. 

“Maybe she’s got heatstroke?” Lance said, “Have you guys been drinking the water you took with?’

Keith resisted the urge to snap at the slight accusatory tone in Lance’s voice. “Yes, Lance.”

“It could still be the heat, though. Is she feverish?” Lance asked.

Keith pulled one of his gauntlets off so that he could feel her forehead. He was shocked to feel that it was clammy, but cold.

“No… she’s cold.”

“Cold? What do mean, she’s cold? The weather’s hot enough to slow roast a turkey!” Hunk said, anxiety clear in his voice.

“Keith, how far are you from your lions?” Shiro asked.

Keith shook his head to try and dispel his growing nausea at the smell in his helmet. It didn’t work. “At least a half hour’s walk.” he answered after a moment. “The jungle here’s way too thick to get in any other way than on foot.

Shiro swore. “We’re on our way. Will you be able to start carrying her back towards your lions so long? We’ll make our way towards you once we land.”

Keith swallowed down another wave of nausea then said: “Yeah, I can do that.”

“Take breaks if you need to, we don’t want both of you to be sick at the same time.” Shiro said.

Keith nodded though he knew Shiro couldn’t see it, “Okay.”

As soon as they were done speaking he all but tore off his helmet and gulped down as much fresh, humid air as he could.

He glanced down at Pidge and was alarmed to find her eyes closed.

“Pidge?” he asked, and shook her a little for good measure.

She cracked open her eyes, Keith noticed that they were bloodshot, and frowned grumpily at him. “What?”

Keith shook his head, “Don’t scare me like that.”

She rolled her bloodshot eyes at him, “What did Shiro say?”

“They’re heading this way. But we need to try and move towards the lions. That way it won’t take them as long to find us.”

Pidge opened her mouth as if to answer, but then her eyes went wide and she lurched away from him to begin throwing up again.

Keith grimaced as the nausea built up again in his own throat and swallowed it down as he reached out to support Pidge as best he could. Once she was done she nearly collapsed into her own vomit. Keith caught her just in time and pulled her away. 

“I’m going to grab the bags and then we’ll get going, okay?” Keith said.  
Pidge grimaced, “Don’t think I can walk…” she mumbled.

“I’ll carry you.” Keith said, as if it was obvious, which it was, “You stay here, I’ll be back in a minute.”

“‘Kay.”

Keith gently lay Pidge down on the jungle floor long enough for him to get the bags of flowers, slinging them over his shoulder, and then grabbed the bag of water and slung that over his over shoulder. Then he took a deep breath and shoved his helmet back over his head, ensuring that he left the bottom half open. It didn’t help the smell, and this time a wave of dizziness accompanied the nausea. He stood still for a moment and wondered if he was getting heatstroke. Then he shook his head. This didn’t feel like that. It must have been the smell of the goo. 

Once he was sure he wasn’t going to fall over or start puking, he went back over to Pidge and gathered her into his arms. He carried her bridal style, and was struck by how light she was. He turned until his helmet’s visor showed the blinking arrow indicating Red’s location, and started moving in that direction

He’d probably been walking about fifteen minutes when Pidge went limp in his arms. 

“Pidge! Pidge?!” he cried as he tried to shake her awake, “Come on, Pidge, open your eyes!”

Pidge didn’t so much as twitch. 

Keith cursed as he noticed that she’d grown much paler than before. His own nausea had increased significantly until it was a constant battle to keep himself from throwing up. The dizziness hadn’t left him either, but at least he could still keep his balance.

“Shiro!” he just shy of groaned.

“We’ve just landed, Keith.” Shiro answered, “We’ve got your signal. We’re coming. How’s Pidge?”

“Not good.” Keith answered, his own voice tight, “She just passed out. She’s not responding to me at all.”

Shiro cursed and Keith vaguely thought that he’d never heard Shiro curse so many times in such a short period of time.

“And how are you doing?” Shiro asked.  
Keith grimaced, “Not great. But I’ll manage.”

“Wait, Keith’s sick too now?” Lance asked.

“Hey Keith, what are your symptoms? Are they the same or different from Pidge’s?”

The question was unexpected and Keith had to take a second to really think about it before answering, “Uh… the same? I think. She was dizzy and nauseous at first too.”

“So you’ve both got heatstroke, great. Didn’t Shiro tell you not to get sick as well?” Lance asked.

Keith bristled at his tone but didn’t have the energy to rise to the bait, rather he said: “I’ve had heatstroke before. This isn’t that.”

The others were silent for a while after that and Keith went back to focusing on getting to his lion.

“You don’t think it’s that goo that fell on them that’s making them sick?” Hunk asked after a minute.

There was a beat of silence as they all considered that idea.

“Then why’s it affecting them differently?” Lance asked.

“It’s not.” Shiro answered, “Keith said he’s experiencing the same symptoms that Pidge did at first. If it is the goo that’s making them sick then there are a number of reasons why it might have a worse effect on Pidge than on Keith.”

Keith realised that he hadn’t really started feeling bad until he’d put his goo soaked helmet on his head, and supposed it could be a possibility. He was just about to say as much when the worst wave of nausea yet hit him and it was all he could do to put Pidge down gently before he too lost his the contents of his stomach. 

“Keith!” Shiro called.

Keith vaguely realized that he’d heard that both over the comm and from somewhere close by. He wanted to call out in answer but threw up more instead. 

The touch on his shoulder was so unexpected that he actually cried out and jerked to the side.

“Sorry.” Shiro immediately apologised, “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

Keith shook his head and waved Shiro off, focusing on his breathing both to calm down and to combat the growing urge to throw up some more. He felt the bags being removed from his back as he worked to calm himself down and guessed that the others must have taken them. 

Once he’d calmed down, Shiro gave him a hand up. But his knees seemed to have turned to jelly while he’d been puking his guts out and he nearly collapsed back to the ground. Luckily Shiro was there to catch him.

“Lance.” Shiro commanded as he slipped Keith’s helmet off of his head, “Take the bags. Hunk, I need you to carry Keith. I’ll take Pidge. Be careful not to get any of that goo on your skin. We can’t afford any more of us getting sick like this.”

Keith wanted to protest but kept silent as Shiro handed him over to Hunk. 

Hunk slipped Keith’s arm over his shoulders and then slid an arm behind Keith’s back and another behind his legs before gently picking him up. 

Hunk made sure to make the transition from standing to being cradled as smooth as possible for Keith, but the change in orientation was still enough to make Keith’s stomach roll painfully. He pressed his face into Hunk’s shoulder and couldn’t hold back a groan of pain and utter discomfort. 

“It’s okay, man.” Hunk told him as they began to move, “We’ll have you to the Castle and feeling better in no time. You’ll see.” 

Keith didn’t respond and instead focused on not puking all over Hunk and staying awake. It was as if he’d puked all of his energy out along with whatever had been in his stomach. He succeeded in not throwing out, but he was dead to the world even before they reached the lions.

**Author's Note:**

> Like my work? Please consider [buying me a coffee](https://ko-fi.com/W7W3KRCZ) :)


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